What is a warfare ministry and how are we all involved in the war

Spiritual warfare or warfare ministry for some might conjure up all kinds of strange and weird images of traditional warfare, violence and conflict. Let us first understand the spiritual war is real and we are all involved in it. War is defined as a state of armed conflict between different countries or different groups within a country. The spiritual battle can be defined as a war for there is a conflict between the Kingdom of God and the already defeated yet functioning kingdom of the devil. Truth is, we are all involved in this war, unintentionally or intentionally, as believers or non-believers. As gravity affects all on earth, so does the spiritual war impact our lives daily from the rising to the setting of the sun.
Spiritual warfare is not about the devil or his kingdom. It is all about God and His Truth. It is about healing, restoration, redemption, salvation, hope, and love. God is our Deliverance. He is not the means or the method of deliverance, but He IS Deliverance. God’s true intent to winning the spiritual war was to die on the cross so that all mankind may be saved from the kingdom of darkness. Oh yes, God has won the war, but the battle wages daily for man’s soul. Every day, people either choose to serve God or the devil. It is that simple. Spiritual warfare is certainly not about screaming at the devil, cursing him day and night, or chanting all kinds of weird things like ‘break or die!”. 

What is spiritual warfare about? Yes, setting the captives free in spirit, soul and body! And how is this done? Simple. By leading them to Christ. By sharing the true Gospel. By making disciples. And by making disciples, this often includes deliverance in the realm of the spirt and soul (strongholds of the mind, of the heart, of the past traumas and so on).

2 Corinthians 10 says the following: 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.

Spiritual warfare is a) not carnal b) about pulling down strongholds, c) casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, d) bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ and e) being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Spiritual warfare is about implementing the battle plan of 2 Corinthians 10. This calls for the Bride (God’s royal priesthood of believers) to be properly equipped to move in the Spirit of God, and not be led by the dictates of the flesh (Romans 8). 

The warfare is spiritual, and all around us the spiritual warfare manifests in the natural. It is after all the spiritual warfare of Ephesians 6, and so we are called to walk by faith and not by sight. So far, the Church has been engrossed with warfare against itself, and against the flesh and the natural, instead of turning our sight to truly adhering and addressing the strategy of the spiritual enemy. The enemy has kept us engrossed in all kinds of battles, instead of battling the true enemy and addressing his end-time deceptive strategies.

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Spiritual warfare is about rising against the tide of darkness and letting one’s light shine. This can only happen when we return to the heart of the Father when we bow before the Lord and build His Kingdom. The world is burning with hate and dissension, for this is the work of the devil. The answer to anarchy is the love, truth, holiness and hope that are to be found in Jesus. It is time for us to preach Jesus and to preach His Truth and His Way. That is the only hope and answer – not conformity to the world. 

While the world has enjoyed many encounters with the devil since the 1960s, truly, it is time for the Church to again meet the Lord to walk in His Glory to His glory so that the dark tide will turn into a tide of living waters. There is no other way. No clever sermon will help. For only the truth shall set the world free from tyrannical enslavement. So let us preach Jesus in such perilous times, for He is the hope of glory! In raising the banner of Christ, we declare war against the darkness!